Lock-hinge.



J. H. MILLS. v

LOCK HINGE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, 1911.

Patentgd Apr. 25, 191 6,

PATENT UFFTFFTZ.

JOSEPH I-I. MILLS, 0F RICHMOND, INDIANA.

LOCK-HINGE.

Application filed June 19, 1911. Serial No. 633,928.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH H. thus, a citizen of the United States,residing at Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Lock-Hinges, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to a lock hinge adapted for a great variety ofpurposes but intended more particularly as herein shown for joiningtogether in hinged relationship two sections of a strip or member of anykind whereby such sections may be folded together when desired, and forrigidly look ing the sections in extended or alined position, theapplication of positive force of the operator being required before thehinge can be unlocked.

My invention also contemplates the employment of such character of hingeas a hinging and locking junction piece for a series of diagonal stripsor the like radiating toward such junction piece whereby all of thestrips may be folded or collapsed or held locked in extended operativeposition. Moreover, my lock hinge possesses the advantage of beingsimple in construction, comparatively inexpensive of manufacture andefficient in use.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a strip with mylock hinge applied, the sections of the strip being shown in extendedand locked condition; Fig. 2 a sectional view of the same parts shown inFig. 1 but showing them in their collapsed condition; Fig. 3 a plan viewof the lock hinge when used as a junction piece, showing a series offour radiating strips or sections hingedly connected therewith; Fig. 4:an elevation of a modified form of construction of lock hinge, the samebeing here shown in locked condition; Fig. 5 an elevation of themodification of Fig. A but show ing same in collapsed condition; Fig. 6an elevation of another modified form of construction capable ofpermitting the sections to be folded in either direction.

As hereinbefore stated my invention is adapted and intended for a greatvariety of uses and I intend to employ the same wherever applicable.However, for the purpose of a clear and definite explanation of myinvention I have chosen to illustrate the same in connection with twosections of a strip of any kind and of any material and will thereforeproceed to describe my Specification of Letters Patent.

links 6 are in their locking or operative po- 'to speak, at which timethey are resting Patented Apr. 25, 11916..

invention in this particular embodiment without limiting myself thereto.

As herein shown, the hinge consists of two similar sections 1 which maybe of any desired form and of any suitable material but in practice andas illustrated I prefer to make them of channel shape of the properthickness or gage of metal. It will be understood that these sectionsmay be extended to form the body itself of the strips, or that as hereinshown the body may be made of other material such as the wooden sections2, which latter sections are secured to the hinge sections in suitablemanner as by means of rivets or bolts 3. These Wooden sections do notextend to the inner ends of their lock hinge sections but are spacedback a certain distance therefrom so as to leave a space for theaccommodation of the looking bar hereinafter described.

\Vithin the inner adjacent ends of the lock sections 1 is arranged alock bar 1 which is pivoted near two of its corresponding oppositecorners at 5, 5 to the opposite parallel walls of their sections 1. Theadjacent edges of these parallel walls of-the sections 1 are curved orcut away on an are described from the pivotal points 5 as centers, withthe result that the lock sections are adapted .to fold upon each otherto the-position indicated in Fig. 2. It will be noted that the lock bar4: is of a length substantially equaling the distance between thebottoms of the channels of the lock sections when folded as is clearlyillustrated in Fig. 2. This bar thus forms the hinged connection betweenthe two sections 1 but does not of itself serve to lock such sections,in extended or alined position.

The lock proper for locking the sections 1 consists of two similar links6, 6 and a small connecting link 7 The two links 6 are pivoted at theirouter ends to the two sections 1 at 8, 8 and are pivoted at their innerends at 9, 9 to the connecting link 7. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, theinner or adj acent ends of the two links 6 are slotted at 10 in order toreceive the connecting link 7. The pivotal points 8 and 9 are soarranged with relation to each other that when the sition their innerends are beyond center, so

upon the bar 1. For this purpose the pivotal points 9 are slightly belowa line or plane connecting the pivotal points 8. It

results from this construction that when the links are in their lockingposition, they remain in such position except as against positive forceexerted by the operator. When it is desired to unlock the sections, theoperator grips the inner ends of the links 6 where they are exposed bythe cut away portions of the sections 1 and lifts them upwardly towardthe dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the sections arefree to be folded upon each other to the po sition shown inFig. 2.Inasmuch as the wooden sections 2 are recessed at 2 to accommodate thelinks 6, the sections 1 may be folded to the extent of 180 with theirsimilar surfaces in juxtaposition. When it is desired to extend thesections and lock them in alined position the reverse operation takesplace.

As shown in Fig. 3 my lock hinge may be employed as a junction piece, asI term it, for hingedly connecting together a series of diagonal stripsfor locln'ng them in their extended condition. As shown, the sections 1do not have any strip sections 2 or the like but have hingedlyconnected. thereto by means of the hinges 11 a series of four strips 12which radiate toward this junction piece. The inner end of each strip 12is connected to one leaf of the hinge 11 while the other leaf thereof isconnected to its section 1 of the lock hinge or junction piece. In thepresent instance I have shown an ordinary form of hinge but it will beunderstood that any suitable or desired hinging or pivotal connectionbetween these strips or the junction piece may be adopted. It is obviousthat the lock hinge serves the double purpose ofconnecting the innerends of these diagonal" strips and of locking them in their extendedcondition. Moreover, the hinging connection between the strips and thejunction piece and the described construction of the lock hinge permitsthe parts to be folded together in the most compact form.

In F igs. 4 and 5 I have shown a modified form of my invention whenconsidered in its broader aspect. In this modification I employ a singlelink 13 pivoted'at'one end only as at 14: to one of the sections 1, andhaving at its other end'one or more laterally extending pins 15 receivedin slots 1 entering from the upper edges of one of the sections 1. Thispin 15 is in locking'position located below a horizontal plane extendingthrough the pivotal point 14 with the resultthat the link 13 ismaintained in look ing position except as against the application ofpositive force exerted by the operator, who, in unlocking the lock hingeraises the link upwardly and folds it over 180.

'As shown, one of the sections is recessed at 1 in order to permit thelink to fold entirely within such section. The above described forms oflock hinge permit the sections to be folded or collapsed in onedirection only but in Fig. 6 I have shown a modified form ofconstruction which permits the sections to be folded in eitherdirection, thereby giving a range of movement of substantially 360. Asshown, the two sections 16 are pivotally connected by means of the bar17, the pivotal points being indicated at 18 and the inner adj aecntends of the section 16 being cut away or curved on the arcs of circlesdescribed from such pivotal points as centers. The looking deviceconsists of a link 19 pivoted at 20 to one of the sections and having alateral pin 21 cooperating with a slot 16 in one of the sections. Itwill be noted that this looking device is similar to that illustrated inFigs. 4c and 5 and the operation and function thereof are similar. Itwill be understood that when the link 19 is moved from its operative orlocking position shown in Fig. 6, the two sections 16 are capable ofbeing folded in either direction.

It is evident from the foregoing description that my lock hinge is notonly simple and efiicient but is also compact and selfcontained and ismoreover adapted for many useful purposes, besides the ones hereinspecifically referred to, it being understood that I contemplate usingmy invention wherever applicable. Furthermore, it will be understoodthat changes may be made in the form and proportions of the parts andthe materials employed as circumstances may require or render expedientbut without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

l. A hinge comprising two members, a bar pivotally connected to both ofsuch members at points at one side of their central longitudinal axes,and means permanently connected with the members for looking them andthe bar in alined position.

2. A hinge comprising two members, a bar pivotally connected to both ofsuch members at points at one side of their central longitudinal axes,and a locking device pivoted to both members for locking the latter andbar in alined position, said device being itself movable to said alinedposition when the members are locked.

3. A hinge comprising two members, provided with recessed ends, a barlocated within said recessed ends and pivotally connected toboth of suchmembers at points at one side of their central longitudinal axes, andmeans connected with said members for locking them in alined position,said means being located at the inner angle of said members.

4;. A hinge comprising two members, a bar pivotally connected to both ofsuch members at points at one side of their central longitudinal axes,and links connected with each other and pivoted to the membersrespectively for locking them and the bar in alined position, saidmembers and links being foldable to permit said members to rest uponeach other and to lie in parallel planes said means being longitudinalof said members when in locking position.

5. A hinge comprising two members, a bar pivotally connected to both ofsuch members, and a link cooperating with the members and adapted tolock them and to rest upon the bar when in locking position.

6. A hinge comprising two members, a bar pivotally connected to both ofsuch members at points at one side of their central longitudinal axes,and links pivoted at their outer ends to the members and pivotallyconnected together at their inner ends said links being in substantialalinement when in locking position.

7. A hinge comprising two members, a bar pivotally connected to both ofsuch members, and links pivoted at their outer ends to the members andpivotally connected together at their inner ends, the inner ends of suchlinks bearing against the bar in looking position and the pivotal pointof such inner ends being out of line with the pivotal points of theirouter ends.

8. A hinge comprising two members, a bar pivotally connected to both ofsuch members, and means for locking said members and bar in alinedposition consisting of a pair of links pivoted at their outer ends tothe members, and a third link connecting the inner ends of such pair oflinks.

9. A hinge comprising two members, a bar pivotally connected to both ofsuch both of them to lock them in alined position, said bar and lockingdevice being arranged within the lines of said members when locked.

11. A hinge comprising two members of channel form, a bar located withinthe channels of such 'members and pivotally connected therewith, and alocking device pivotally connected with such members and arranged to liewithin the lines thereof when in locked condition.

12. A hinge comprising two all metal members of channel form, a barlocated within the channels of such members and pivotally connectedtherewith at points at one side of their central longitudinal axes, theparallel walls of the channels being curved on the arcs of circlesdescribed from the pivotal points of the bar, and a locking deviceconnected with such members for locking them and the bar in alinedposition.

JOSEPH H. MILLS. Witnesses:

S. E. KIBBEN,

ROBERT DOBBERMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of lEatents, Washington, D. 0.

